From what I see on the Johns Hopkins website (https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/mortality), to date there have been 10,737,335 cases of Covid reported. There have been 244,332 deaths as a result of those cases. If I'm doing my math right, that means there is one death for every 43.94 cases of Covid. This means there is one death for approximately every 44 people infected. That's a 2.27% death rate of those infected in the US alone. Percentage wise, the risk sounds minimal but when you put it in terms of 1 out of every 44 infected people in the US will die - and the infection rate is rising, that's potentially a lot of dead people.

During the 911 attacks, almost 3000 were killed and that was appalling to us. Just yesterday, it was reported that there were 181,194 new cases of Covid on that day alone. If 1 out of 44 people die, that's 4,118 people dead. If we could go back in time and prevent the deaths of those people who died in the 911 attacks by doing something so simple as wearing a mask, wouldn't most of us do it? Why wouldn't we do such a simple thing as wear a mask now to save an even greater number of people?

I'd be lying if I said I'm not fearful of getting Covid or having one of my loved ones get it but there's a difference between being paralyzed by that fear and having a healthy respect for the virus. My family and I are going about our daily lives as we normally would but taking as many precautions as we can while we do. Mask wearing and social distancing are not the equivalent of living in fear. In my mind, it's simply using the tools we've been told will save lives and hopefully keep us from getting sick. To me, it's doing the responsible thing and being thoughtful of those around us who may be at higher risk should they get the virus. It's also one of those things that never should have become so politicized. It's a medical/public health issue. I wish it would be viewed as such. JMO

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